E.S. Design

Alexandrites are probably one of the most least favored stones in the world. Its physical features are not exactly attractive, with a being somewhere between green and purple. As for its sparkling qualities, alexandrites have little to boast. Its shining qualities are close to nil. In essence, alexandrites are gemstones that look dark and muddy with a grayish hue, which makes it the ugly duckling in the world of gemstones.

Genuine alexandrites are extremely rare. The alexandrites sold in jewelry stores are actually created alexandrites and not genuine ones. The real thing is very expensive, costing more than a genuine diamond.

You may ask, how can such an unattractive stone end up being the month of June’s birthstone? At least the the jewelry industry created a prettier alternative to take the place of alexandrites – pearls.

In spite of all its unattractive qualites, alexandrites possess an interesting quality. It has color-changing abilities, coined as the “alexandrite effect.” Using different lightings, these gemstones can appear as two different gemstones in terms of physical appearance. Alexandrites appear green when exposed to daylight or flourescent lighting. On the other hand, under light bulbs or incandescent lighting, alexandrites appear purplish, reddish, or brownish. Alexandrites are pleochroic. This means that it can show more than one color simultaneously.

Alexandrites are mined mostly from Tanzania, Brazil, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Burma, and the Russian Ural Mountains. It was in the year 1830 in the Ural Mountains of Russia where these gemstones were first discovered. The stone was named after Czar Alexander II on his 12th birthday since the gemstone’s green and red colors match those of the Russian Imperial Guard’s.